Maison's 90th birthday celebrationThe family of Maison “M.T. Standridge will host Maison’s 90th birthday celebration on Saturday. Maison was born Feb. 20, 1926. He married Emma Hollowoa on July 21, 1951. The couple has five children, 12 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Maison’s family will host his Open House from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday at the J.W. Matthews Civic Center, located at 108 West Main Street in Atkins. The family requests that no gifts be given.

Danville Chess team compete in tournamentThe Danville School Chess team recently participated in the Benton High School Invitational Chess Tournament. Ethan Shewmake won four out of five games. Garrett Graves won three games and had one stalemate. Benjamin Graves won two games and had one stalemate. Robert Hale won one game. Marifer Mendoza had two stalemates. This was a high school tournament and three of Danville’s players were Seventh Grade students.

Murdochs celebrate 70th wedding anniversaryMr. and Mrs. William H. Murdoch of Russellville recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Their childhood romance began when Bill was in the Fifth Grade and chased his future wife, Katie, around the school house. The couple was married on Jan. 27, 1946, in Clarksville by the Rev. Ethan Dodgen. The couple’s children, Angie (Richard) Pierce and Timm (Kristin) Murdoch, hosted a family reception in honor of their parents. The Murdochs ha...

Junior Auxiliary to host Children’s Benefit BallJunior Auxiliary of Russellville will host the annual 2016 Children’s Benefit Ball Saturday, Feb. 27, at the L.V. Williamson Boys and Girls Club in Russellville. The theme for the 2016 Children’s Benefit Ball is “An Evening at the Copacabana.” There will be live and silent auctions. Entertainment will be by The Rockets Band. There will be a traditional meal, catered by Blue Willow, with a Cuban flair. Junior Auxiliary is a national non-profit ...

River Valley Rewind (Feb. 3, 2016)Installing experimental extended time limit parking meters that will provide all day and half-day parking for people working in downtown Russellville are O.C. Chapman (left), city building inspector, and C.E. “Jerry” Holcomb, Rockwell Manufacturing Co. service training supervisor.

U of O Fall 2015 academic honor listsSeveral students from the surrounding area were named to the University of the Ozarks academic honor rolls for 2015 Fall Semester. To be included on the University’s President’s List, a student must carry at least 12 hours and maintain a 4.00 grade point average. To be included on the Dean’s List, a student must carry at least 12 hours and maintain between a 3.5 and 3.9 GPA. Area students for the President’s List for the 2015 Fall Semester inc...

Arkansas Tech announces fall 2015 Dean’s ListArkansas Tech University has announced its Dean’s List for undergraduate students on the main campus in Russellville for the fall 2015 semester. A student must achieve a 3.5 grade point average or higher and complete at least 12 hours of college-level coursework to be named to the Dean’s List. A total of 1,888 Arkansas Tech students achieved that distinction during fall 2015, an increase of 4.83 percent over fall 2014. Included in the fall 201...

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COMPILED BY SAM STRASNERThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Remembering when the music diedA nice reader wrote, “You include old 50’s song lyrics in your column often you must be an old rock ‘n roll fan. So, tell me, when do you think our music was born and when did it die?” The birth, Ralph? Many say it began with Bill Haley and the Comets recording “Rock Around the Clock.” And, for its death, I’m sure you refer to the plane crash killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the ‘Big Bopper’ Feb. 3, 1959. A day immortalized by Don McLea...

Luninghams celebrate 30th AnniversaryDale and Kimberly Luningham of Russellville will celebrate their 30 year wedding anniversary on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. The couple was married on Feb. 1, 1986, at the Atkins Presbyterian Church by Rev. Bob Wallman. Dale is the son of Billy Luningham and Carolyn Capes. Kim is the daughter of Joseph Hurdle and Nancy Brooks. The couple’s son and daughter-in-law, Justin and Jennifer Luningham, reside in Little Rock.

Shelter and Stratton to award scholarshipThis spring, the Shelter Insurance Foundation will award a $2,000 scholarship to a graduate of Russellville High School. Shelter agent J.W. Stratton sponsors and partially funds this scholarship. A committee of local high school officials and community leaders will select the local recipient. The committee will consider each applicant’s scholastic achievements, educational goals, citizenship, moral character and participation and leadership in...

Bridge results (Jan. 25, 2016)Monday Duplicate Bridge met on Jan. 18, at the Russellville Senior Wellness and Activity Center. The first place North/South winners were Bill Barton and Gordon Thornsberry. The second place North/South winners were Trilby Maul and Randy Reehm. The first place East/West winners were Carole Barton and Vernon Collins. Tom Hlass and Joe Moore tied for second place East/West with Michiko Bowman and Dora Manly. The next game will be at 12:30 p.m. o...

Cooper — EcholsMindy Cooper and Derick Echols were married at 4 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2015, at the Lake Point Conference Center in Russellville. Mindy is the daughter of Hal and Beth Cooper of Russellville. Derick is the son of Beulah Echols of Brooklyn, N.Y. The bride was given in marriage by her father. She wore a white, satin mermaid style dress with a sweetheart neckline. It had seed pearls, crystals and gold beading along the bodice. Her veil was a waist-leng...

Roberts — HockerSloane Ashton Roberts and Zach Hocker are happy to announce their engagement and forthcoming marriage. The bride-elect is the daughter of John and Michelle Roberts of Rison, Ark. She has one younger brother, John Chandler Roberts. Sloane is a 2010 graduate of Rison High School. She attended the University of Arkansas, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Communication. The prospecti...